Gnocchi with Harissa Butter and Broccoli

Dorothy Porker

This is a recipe for gnocchi with harissa butter and broccoli from Ruby Tandoh's cookbook Cook As You Are.

Prep Time 7

Cook Time 8

Course Dinner, Main course

Servings 2

25 g - 3 T roughly chopped nuts walnuts, almonds or pine nuts for example, I used smoked almonds
salt to taste
1 small head of broccoli or pre-cut florets
500 g - 17.5 oz gnocchi
30 g - 2.5 T butter can be salted or unsalted, olive oil or vegan butter will also work
30 g - 2 T harissa more to taste (recommended if cooking for 2), red pesto, in a pinch of chili flakes or powder will also work

If untoasted toast your nuts in a dry frying pan before roughly chopping them.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil while cutting your broccoli into medium-sized florets and cutting the stalk into 1/2 cm - 0.2" rounds.
Once your water has come to the boil, add the gnocchi and broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes which will allow them to caramelize during the next steps.
Melt 30 g of butter in your frying pan over a medium-high heat before adding 2 T of harissa (more to taste, which I recommend).
Let the harissa sizzle for a few seconds before adding the gnocchi and broccoli to the pan and spreading them out in an even layer, floret-side down where possible. This will allow the broccoli to really soak up the flavors. Once everything's spread out in an even layer, resist the urge to move your broccoli or gnocchi around for at least 2 minutes (no shaking the pan either), this will allow them to caramelize.
After 2 minutes give everything a stir, turn down the heat and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste, divide between two plates and sprinkle over your nuts from step one.

Preheat your oven to 180° C/ 360° F.
Get out a large roasting tin and toast 25 g - 2 T of nuts for 5-8 minutes, if using untoasted nuts. Remove from the oven, coarsely chop and set aside.
Boil a full kettle. Tip 500 g - 17.5 oz gnocchi into a large heatproof bowl, season with salt and pour over the boiling water. Leave to sit for 2 minutes, then drain.
Prepare the broccoli by breaking it into medium florets, if necessary. Trim and peel the stalk and slice into 1/2 cm - 0.2" rounds.
Chuck in 30 g - 2.5 T of butter in the roasting tin and allow it to melt in your hot oven for a few minutes. Stir in 30 g - 2 T (more to taste, recommended) of harissa before tipping in the gnocchi and broccoli florets.
Season with a little salt, mix everything well and spread out into an even layer before roasting for 25 minutes.
Divide between two plates and sprinkle over your nuts from step one.

I halved most of the ingredients, bar the butter and harissa, for a single-serve version of this dish. If you're making this for two I'd recommend doubling at least the amount of harissa.
I think this could also be delicious with red or green pesto minus the chili flakes, or with a sambal of your liking, or with miso, gochujang, etc. etc. etc. There are probably a number of other vegetables this would also work incredibly well with (cauliflower is the first option that springs to mind), it's basically a good base-dish to create a plethora of variations from.
I think some grated parmesan might also do nicely on this, or depending on what flavors you're using, a stirring through of a handful of cubed or broken up feta.
Some people do not pre-cook their store-bought gnocchi, but I find they stay way too firm and inedible and pre-cooking them really brings out their pillowy goodness.
I only tested the stove-top method, if you try the roasting-tin method please let me know how you get on.

Keyword cookbook recipe, easy vegan, easy vegetarian, harissa, ruby tandoh